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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2020) | Viewed by 11866

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Dr. Hyunjoo Choi

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School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kookmin University, 77, Jeongneung-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02707, Korea
Interests: metal matrix composites; powder metallurgy; mechanical properties

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) have attracted growing interest as alternatives for metallic alloys due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, high temperature stabilities, and unique thermal/electrical/chemical properties. Furthermore, properties of MMCs can be tailored by manipulating the morphology, size, orientation, and fraction of reinforcement on the basis of a wide range of materials combination, which open new opportunities in a variety of applications of daily life. This Special Issue, “Metal Matrix Composites”, will address advances in materials science, processing, material modeling and characterization, performance, and testing of metal matrix composites for a variety of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, electrical, electronic, energy, and biomedical applications. This Special Issue also welcomes articles and reviews on practical applications of advanced MMCs.

Prof. Dr. Hyunjoo Choi
Guest Editor

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Keywords

metal matrix composites
process
properties
microstructures

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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Open AccessEditorial

Recent Developments towards Commercialization of Metal Matrix Composites

Dae-Young Kim

and

Hyun-Joo Choi

Materials 2020, 13(12), 2828; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13122828 - 24 Jun 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1634

Abstract

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are promising alternatives to metallic alloys. Their high strength-to-weight ratios; high temperature stabilities; and unique thermal, electrical, and chemical properties make them suitable for automotive, aerospace, defense, electrical, electronic, energy, biomedical, and other applications. The wide range of potential combinations of materials allows the properties of MMCs to be tailored by manipulating the morphology, size, orientation, and fraction of reinforcement, offering further opportunities for a variety of applications in daily life. This Special Issue, “Metal Matrix Composites”, addresses advances in the material science, processing, material modeling and characterization, performance, and testing of metal matrix composites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Matrix Composites)

Research

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Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effects of Reinforcement Ratios and Sintering Temperatures on the Mechanical Properties of Titanium Nitride/Nickel Composites

Yi-Cheng Chen

and

Shih-Fu Ou

Materials 2020, 13(20), 4473; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13204473 - 09 Oct 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1655

Abstract

In this study, powder metallurgy was used to fabricate titanium nitride/nickel metal-matrix composites. First, titanium and nickel powders with weight ratios of 20:80, 50:50 and 80:20 were dry mixed for 24 h. After cold isostatic pressing, the green compacts were soaked in a water-based hot forging lubricant and sintered at 850, 950 and 1050 °C for 1.5 h in an air atmosphere. The effects of the amounts of titanium powder and the sintering temperatures on the mechanical properties (hardness, wear resistance and compressive strength) of the composites were investigated. The results indicated that titanium gradually transformed into titanium nitride near the surface after sintering due to the carbothermal reduction reaction; this transformation was observed to significantly increase the hardness. In addition, an oxygen-rich film was observed to form between the titanium nitride particles and the nickel matrix. An optimum sintering temperature of 950 °C provides the composites (titanium–nickel weight ratios of 20:80) the best mechanical properties (wear resistance and compressive strength) among other groups. Furthermore, increasing the titanium content to 80% in the composite increased the hardness; however, the wear resistance and compressive strength decreased. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Matrix Composites)

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Open AccessArticle

Corrosion Behavior of Pressure Infiltration Diamond/Cu Composites in Neutral Salt Spray

and

Materials 2020, 13(8), 1847; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13081847 - 14 Apr 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2096

Abstract

Diamond particle-reinforced copper matrix composites (Diamond/Cu) are recognized as promising electronic packaging materials due to their excellent thermophysical properties. It is necessary to investigate the reliability of Diamond/Cu composites under extreme environmental conditions. The corrosion behavior of Diamond/Cu composites was studied in a 5 wt% NaCl neutral salt spray. Surface morphology, thermal conductivity, bending strength, corrosion rate, and corrosion depth resulting from corrosion were researched in this paper. The results showed that the corrosion phenomenon mainly occurs on the copper matrix, and the diamond and interface products do not corrode. The corrosion mechanism of Diamond/Cu composites was micro-galvanic corrosion. The corrosion product formed was Cu₂Cl(OH)₃. The salt spray environment had a great influence on the composite surface, but the composite properties were not significantly degenerated. After a 168-h test, the bending strength was unaltered and the thermal conductivity of gold-plated composites showed a slight decrease of 1–2%. Surface gold plating can effectively improve the surface state and thermal conductivity of Diamond/Cu composites in a salt spray environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Matrix Composites)

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Open AccessArticle

Effect of Material and Process Variables on Characteristics of Nitridation-Induced Self-Formed Aluminum Matrix Composites—Part 1: Effect of Reinforcement Volume Fraction, Size, and Processing Temperatures

and

Materials 2020, 13(6), 1309; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13061309 - 13 Mar 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1705

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of the size and volume fraction of SiC, along with that of the processing temperature, upon the nitridation behavior of aluminum powder during the nitridation-induced self-formed aluminum composite (NISFAC) process. In this new composite manufacturing process, aluminum powder and ceramic reinforcement mixtures are heated in nitrogen gas, thus allowing the exothermic nitridation reaction to partially melt the aluminum powder in order to assist the composite densification and improve the wetting between the aluminum and the ceramic. The formation of a sufficient amount of molten aluminum is key to producing sound, pore-free aluminum matrix composites (AMCs); hence, the degree of nitridation is a key factor. It was demonstrated that the degree of nitridation increases with decreasing SiC particle size and increasing SiC volume fraction, thus suggesting that the SiC surface may act as an effective pathway for nitrogen gas diffusion. Furthermore, it was found that effective nitridation occurs only at an optimal processing temperature. When the degree of nitridation is insufficient, molten Al is unable to fill the voids in the powder bed, leading to the formation of low-quality composites with high porosities. However, excessive nitridation is found to rapidly consume the nitrogen gas, leading to a rapid drop in the pressure in the crucible and exposing the remaining aluminum powder in the upper part of the powder bed. The nitridation behavior is not affected by these variables acting independently; therefore, a systematic study is needed in order to examine the concerted effect of these variables so as to determine the optimal conditions to produce AMCs with desirable properties for target applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Matrix Composites)

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Open AccessArticle

Effect of Material and Process Variables on Characteristics of Nitridation-Induced Self-Formed Aluminum Matrix Composites—Part 2: Effect of Nitrogen Flow Rates and Processing Temperatures

and

Materials 2020, 13(5), 1213; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13051213 - 08 Mar 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1550

Abstract

The nitridation-induced self-formed aluminum matrix composite (NISFAC) process is based on the nitridation reaction, which can be significantly influenced by the characteristics of the starting materials (e.g., the chemical composition of the aluminum powder and the type, size, and volume fraction of the ceramic reinforcement) and the processing variables (e.g., process temperature and time, and flow rate of nitrogen gas). Since these variables do not independently affect the nitridation behavior, a systematic study is necessary to examine the combined effect of these variables upon nitridation. In this second part of our two-part report, we examine the effect of nitrogen flow rates and processing temperatures upon the degree of nitridation which, in turn, determines the amount of exothermic reaction and the amount of molten Al in the nitridation-induced self-formed aluminum matrix composite (NISFAC) process. When either the nitrogen flow rate or the set temperature was too low, high-quality composites were not obtained because the level of nitridation was insufficient to fill the powder voids with molten Al. Hence, since the filling of the voids in the powder bed by molten Al is essential to the NISFAC process, the conditions should be optimized by manipulating the nitrogen flow rate and processing temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Matrix Composites)

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Open AccessArticle

Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Material Removal and Surface Defect Mechanism in Scratch Tests of High Volume Fraction SiCp/Al Composites

and

Materials 2020, 13(3), 796; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13030796 - 10 Feb 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2175

Abstract

This paper addresses a comprehensive and further insight into the sensitivity of material removal and the surface defect formation mechanism to scratch depth during single-grit scratch tests of 50 vol% SiCp/Al composites. The three-dimensional (3D) finite element model with more realistic 3D micro-structure, particle-matrix interfacial behaviors, particle-particle contact behaviors, particle-matrix contact behaviors and a Johnson-Holmquist-Beissel (JHB) model of SiC was developed. The scratch simulation conducted at scratch velocity 10 mm/min and loading rate 40 N/min revealed that the scratch depth plays a crucial role in material removal and the surface forming process. Brittle fracturing of SiC particles and surface defects become more deteriorative under a large scratch depth ranging from 0.0385 to 0.0764 μm. The above phenomenon can be attributed to the influence of scratch depth on SiC particles’ transport; the increase in the amount of SiC particle transport resulting from an increase of scratch depth raises the occurrence of particle-particle collision which provides hard support and shock for the scratched particles; therefore, brittle fracturing gradually becomes the major removal mode of SiC particles as the scratch depth increases. On the deteriorative surface, various defects are observed; i.e., lateral cracks, interfacial debonding, cavies filled with residually broken particles, etc. The von Mises stress distribution shows that SiC particles bear vast majority of load, and thus present greater stress than the surrounding Al matrix. For example: their ratio of 3 to 30 under the scratch depth of 0.011 mm. Namely, SiC particles impede stress diffusion within the Al matrix. Finally, the SEM images of the scratched surface obtained from the single-grit scratch experiments verify the numerical analysis’s results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Matrix Composites)

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